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    Home > Recipes > Snacks

    Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Roast Cashews

    Published: Apr 11, 2013 · Modified: Apr 19, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 23 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    sriracha roasted cashews

    spicy cashews in a blue and white bowl

    It seems sriracha is everywhere - on popcorn, in salad dressing, as a marinade for chicken, combined with chocolate, and drizzled over pizza. It makes for some really fantastic Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Roast Cashews as well.

    Since moving abroad, I'm not always up on the latest "thing". At a week or so away from turning 32, I don't expect myself to be all that in-the-know, but thanks to Pinterest and Facebook and blogging, occasionally I notice that I've completely missed something has become very popular. I think Gangnam Style had 500 million youtube views before I saw it. Months ago we had visitors from the US (hi Alyssa!) who schooled us on hash tagging and the meaning of YOLO. This week I only just became aware of the obsession with all things zombie.  (What is that about by the way?)

    In the Bangkok of 2013, I can't blame all of my cluelessness on living abroad. Many people here have smartphones, so I could certainly be on Instagram or Twitter or WhatsApp.  (I had to google the spelling on that last one.) Even though it is a choice not to use every social media platform, there's no avoiding the sense that I'm occasionally missing out. The temptation to always be hitting the "share" button on some social media platform or another seems to have come with my decision to start a blog, but the truth is, that's not the right thing for me. At least not for now.

    adding spicy sauce to cashews

    On Saturday, Frank came back from a two-week work trip to Burma. We had the most gloriously quiet few days after his return. We met friends for dinner, watched movies, drank a shocking amount of hot tea on our couch, and spent a night after work lounging in the pool while it turned from dusk to dark. Apart from a Skype call or two with our families and editing a scheduled blog post, for days, all of our communication was done in person.

    Weeks like this one remind me how restorative it can be to step away from the computer and, in my case, away from the camera. Today is Frank's birthday. My amazing husband needs no prompting to appreciate special moments, good conversation, artistic expression, or the value of slowing down. He seeks these things without effort and embraces them fully. It's simply who he is.  As such, tonight we'll have a celebratory dinner, without a single thing to distract us.  (Except, perhaps, if you count Frank's requested birthday dinner of sliders and onion straws.)

    sriracha roasted cashews in a white bowl

    I'm unlikely to ever get on board with the zombie trend. The jury is still out on Twitter.

    But Sriracha? Although this spicy chili sauce is far from new, its super trendy use in all sorts of foods is something I can get behind, like these Sriracha Roast Cashews.

    More Spicy Recipes

    • Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans
    • Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa
    • Spicy Breakfast Strata with Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Cheddar
    • Sweet and Spicy Mango-Avocado Salsa
    • Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Snack Mix
    • Spicy Szechuan Green Beans
    • Sweet and Spicy Corn Salsa
    • Spicy Coconut Chicken Soup
    • Spicy Noodles with Cilantro and Tofu
    • Spicy Prawn Soup (Tom Yam Gung)

    Favorite Tools

    • All Clad Saucepan
    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Parchment Paper Sheets
    sriracha roasted cashews
    Print Recipe
    4 from 4 votes

    Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Roast Cashews

    A simple recipe for roasted cashews, coated in a sweet and spicy glaze.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Snack
    Keyword: easy snack, party and entertaining, spicy snack
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 174kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $3.00

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup packed Light Brown Sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (such as Huy Fong)
    • 1 inch piece Fresh Ginger, finely grated
    • 3 Makrut Lime Leaves, minced (see note)
    • 1 ½ cups Raw Cashews
    • 1 tablespoon White Sesame Seeds

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • In a very small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, Sriracha sauce and ginger. Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the makrut lime leaves.
    • Pour the cashews into a mixing bowl. Drizzle the sugar mixture over the cashews and stir well to evenly coat them. Add the sesame seeds and stir again to combine.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the cashews out on the parchment paper and bake until crisp, 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a bowl to serve.

    Notes

    Makrut lime leaves can often be found in the frozen section of Asian grocery stores. They can keep for months in the freezer, and are great in curries and salads. Slice or mince them very thin before using, as the leaves tend to be somewhat tough. If you can't track some down for this recipe, don't worry - it's great even without them!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 10g | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassie | Bake Your Day

      April 11, 2013 at 9:20 pm

      I love these kinds of snacks! I made sriracha soy almonds last year and I literally crave them. I can't wait to try these!

      Reply
      • Jess

        April 12, 2013 at 11:59 am

        Me too, Cassie - sweet and spicy is totally my thing! Sriracha soy almonds - amazing!!!

        Reply
    2. Alyssa {Suitcases & Sweets}

      April 12, 2013 at 6:50 am

      #greatpost #thanksforthelinklove #happybirthdaytofrizzy #missyouguys #amyandistilltalkinhashtags 😉

      Reply
      • Jess

        April 12, 2013 at 11:59 am

        YOLO!

        Reply
    3. Claire @ Claire K Creations

      April 12, 2013 at 7:36 am

      Happy Birthday Frank! Hope you enjoy your sliders. From memory, last year's looked pretty good so I'd be looking forward to them.
      I often need reminding to slow down. Funny that I just read a blog post from someone else about switching off and then read yours. Hmm... is that a sign?
      Maybe I'll make a batch of nuts and curl up with a book?

      Reply
    4. Debra

      April 12, 2013 at 5:02 pm

      Love this recipe. I am very unhip----don't FB or tweet and just started with Pinterest. I guess with the exception of my blog, I like a bit of real face time too (or anonymity)! (I just looked up YOLO, btw.). LOL

      Reply
    5. Meghan

      April 14, 2013 at 3:23 am

      I'm a big fan of "shutting off" every once in a while - it does wonders! I'm an even bigger fan of sriracha & these cashews look like a must-try treat! Lovely photos too!

      Reply
    6. ashley - baker by nature

      April 14, 2013 at 10:55 am

      Oh my goodness... this is like the ultimate snack!

      Reply
    7. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com

      April 15, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      The ingredient list itself makes me drool!

      ps: Happy Birthday, Frank!!

      Reply
    8. Ashley

      April 16, 2013 at 7:24 am

      My husband would absolutely love this! He puts sriracha on a LOT of things ... sometimes more like dumps it on top of things haha And happy birthday to your husband!!

      Reply
    9. Cherie

      April 21, 2013 at 1:04 am

      Made for hubby - he LOVED them. Then... I tried them... wow - addictive! I highly recommend finding the kaffir leaves - they definitely add that distinctive Thai flavor. I found them at a local international market.

      Reply
      • Jess

        April 21, 2013 at 9:01 am

        Cherie! Thanks so much for stopping in to let me know! I'm SO glad you tracked down the kaffir lime leaves - I agree that they really do give these that unmistakable Thai flavor.

        Reply
    10. val

      April 23, 2013 at 5:32 am

      I could eat my weight in these.

      Reply
      • Jess

        April 23, 2013 at 7:21 am

        Oh Val...I believe I may have. 😉

        Reply
    11. Cookie and Kate

      April 23, 2013 at 10:21 am

      Honestly, I don't know how anyone keeps up with all the trends these days! I don't watch tv and I can't even keep up with twitter and google reader. Anyway, these cashews look killer. And now that I think about it, sriracha does seem like a trendy hot sauce lately. Love the stuff.

      Reply
    12. dishesfrommykitchen

      May 10, 2013 at 9:54 am

      I am in love with the flavors and spices u have added in this cashews... I cannot wait to make this soon. Looks absolutely mouthwatering with ur lovely pictures.

      Reply
      • Jess

        May 11, 2013 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

        Reply
    13. Adrie

      January 31, 2014 at 12:41 pm

      Been pining away to make these since I saw them a couple weeks ago on Pinterest. However, my sauce turned out more pasty so having trouble evenly spreading it over the cashews--or spreading at all. Argh. Did I overheat the sauce?? Advice on how to fix? Thanks- if I get this right, I know they'll be deeeelish!

      Reply
      • Jess

        February 02, 2014 at 6:29 pm

        Oh no, Adrie - I'm so sorry to hear this! I think you're right, that the problem probably had to do with the heating time for the sauce - either too short or too long. Just cook the sauce until the sugar is completely melted and the mixture is nice and smooth, but no longer. I do hope you'll give it another try, Adrie - this is one of our favorites!

        Reply

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